Washington: US President Barack Obama has announced his intention to seek re-election when the next Presidential elections are due in 2012.

"This campaign is just kicking off," Obama said on his official website.

In a message to his supporters through email, text and video, titled 'It Begins with Us', Obama said he would be filing his papers later on Monday to launch his campaign for asecond term.

He is expected to go on a major fund raising effort beginning this month.

"We're opening up offices, unpacking boxes, and starting a conversation with supporters like you to help shape our path to victory. 2012 begins now, and this is where you say you're in," Obama said.

"We are doing this now because the politics, we believe in, does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you -- with people organizing block-by-block, talking toneighbours, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build," he said.

"So even though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign muststart on Monday," the President said.

The President's online campaign was widely seen as a key strategy to galvanize his supporters in 2008.

The announcement comes so that Obama can file papers with the Federal Election Commission and begin accepting campaign contributions.

Obama said in coming days his re-election team will start by coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying them for next year's fight.

“This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together,” Obama said.

In a recent national opinion poll, Obama has been rated by Americans higher for his handling of foreign affairs than those of domestic and financial issues.

Forty-six percent approve of the President's handling of foreign affairs and 44 percent his handling of Libya, while his highest rating on three domestic issues is 40 percent for health-care policy, the Gallup said in its latest opinion poll on Obama released on Friday.